Laws & Ordinances


Barking Ordinance

ARTICLE IV
Barking and Vicious dogs
[Adopted 1-23-1979 as Doc. 21]

§137-19. Corrective Action Required.

  1. All owner’s and or keeper’s of animals or dogs which are found and determined by the Police Dept and/or Dog Officer to excessively bark or make other excessive unreasonable noises or are found to be of a vicious disposition must restrain and terminated forthwith said barking, noises and viciousness upon due notice from the Dog Officer, Mayor or the Chief of Police.
  2. Whoever fails, neglects or refusing to so restrain or terminate forthwith said barking, noises or viciousness upon such due notice from the Dog Officer, Mayor of the Chief of Police shall be subject to immediate impoundment of any such dog or animal and forfeiture of any such dog’s or animal’s license. [Added 2-2-1993 by Doc. 19-D]

§137-20. Penalties. [Amended 4-12-1983 by Doc. 72]

Whoever violates any provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.) for the first offense and one hundred dollars ($100.) for each subsequent offense where bodily harm is involved, and additional fine of one hundred dollars ($100.) will be imposed.

Leash Law

ARTICLE III
Leashing of Dogs
[Adopted 6-4-1974 as Doc. 166]

§ 137-13. Leashing required; exception.

No person shall keep any dog in the City of Haverhill outside the owner’s or keeper’s property unless said dog is held firmly on a leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length, except when the dog is being used for hunting or training purposes by the owner or keeper, or farm dogs going from farm property so owned or occupied for purposes of herding livestock.

License Law

To avoid a late charge license your dogs before May 31 st at the Clerks Office in City Hall, room 118. Bring your current rabies vaccination record and a spay/neuter certificate for a $5 discount off of your license. All unlicensed dogs are subject to City fines.
Click Here for License Law on City Clerk's page.

§ 137-27. Confining an animal in a motor vehicle

Any person owning, possessing or controlling an animal in the City of Haverhill shall not allow or permit said animal to be confined inside of a stationary or parked motor vehicle in a manner that could reasonably be expected to threaten the health of the animal due to exposure to extreme heat or cold.

The process of removing an animal from a motor vehicle will be as defined by MGL c. 140, § 174F. An initial violation of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of $150, and for a second offense and subsequent offense, be punished of a fine of $300.

Nothing in this subsection shall preclude prosecution under MGL c. 272, § 77.

Public Nuisance

  • No owner shall fail to exercise proper care and control of his animals to prevent them from becoming a public nuisance.
  • Any person owning or keeping a dog or other animal as a pet shall be responsible from the prompt removal and disposal of any feces deposited by said dog or pet on public or private property. [Added 1-1-1993 by Doc. 19-C]

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